Apparatus for manufacturing and stacking hemmed fabric pieces

Abstract

This disclosure teaches an apparatus for manufacturing and stacking hemmed fabric pieces (usually pockets) with the hems either lined or unlined. In the case of lined hemmed fabric pieces, pieces of a liner tape are fed in cut lengths in turn along a path. Limp fabric pieces (the pockets) are inserted manually by an operator and are positioned automatically each on one of the liner pieces. A hem is formed out of a margin of the fabric piece around its related liner piece and a terminal margin flap is tucked under itself. The hem is sewn along the terminal flap. The hemmed lined fabric pieces are then inserted in turn into a cartridge upwardly and the cartridge is revolved about a vertical axis as successive of the hemmed lined fabric pieces are inserted therein so that uneven height caused by the hems is distributed about the stack. In the case of unlined fabric pieces, the apparatus functions substantially the same in positioning the limp fabric pieces, hemming and stacking.

We claim: 
     
       1. Apparatus for folding sequentially one side margin of a plurality of fabric pieces conveyed along a path defined by a continuously moving conveyor 99 engaging the upper surface of said fabric pieces to form a hem in each of said pieces, each said piece being positioned with said margin projecting to one side of said path; characterized by a. a horizontal folder plate 101 for engaging the bottom surfaces of said sequentially fed fabric pieces, said folder plate having a folder plate edge 102 defining the first fold position of said hem;   b. a first vertical folder member 103 disposed spaced from and adjacent said folder plate edge, the edge 103(a) of said first vertical folder member for engaging the advancing leading edge of each side margin of said fabric pieces to form between said folder plate edge and said first vertical folder member a margin flap 49;   c. a second folder member 104 in said path downstream of said vertical folder member, said second folder member having a vertical portion 104(b) and a horizontal portion 104(a) for engaging the leading edge of said advancing margin flap 49 for folding said margin flap 49 toward the bottom surface of said folder plate 101;   d. a first die plate 106 for engaging the upper surface of said folded advancing margin flap 49;   e. a second die plate 107 spaced horizontally from said first die plate in said path for engaging the lower surface of said advancing margin flap 49, said first 106 and second 107 die plates being disposed downstream of said second folder member in said path;   f. said first 106 and second 107 die plates being spaced vertically from each other to accommodate the thickness of said folded margin flap 49 when first engaging said margin flap;   g. the lower engaging surface 114 of said first die plate 106 extending continuously in a single horizontal plane;   h. the upper engaging surfaces 113 of said second die plate 107 gradually inclined 108 along said path of travel from a first horizontal plane 109 below the plane of the engaging surface 114 of said first die plate 106 to a plane 111 above the engaging surface 114 of said first die plate 106 for folding the edge of said margin flap 49 inwardly of itself to form a second edge hem 51; and   i. a shaped bar 121 for holding said folded hems in position under each fabric piece prior to sewing.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1, further characterized by a. said sequentially folded fabric pieces 46 including an elongated tape piece 43 extending longitudinally of said path along said first fold position of said hem; and   b. each said liner tape piece 43 lying on said folder plate under its respective fabric piece 46.